When the Wicked Call for Justice: Abortion, slavery, and just causes

Sometimes evil men will fight for righteous causes.

In an ever-increasingly polarizing and tribalistic society, it's more important than ever to understand this. More than that, it's vital that we stand with God first rather than any tribe, movement, cause, church, or so on. Truth and justice are not "party line" issues, and God's Law does not consider the fickle winds of cultural trends. Do not be blown into the false dichotomy of one ditch or another. 

How should we feel when men who fight for a cause prove themselves to be severely morally compromised and perhaps even have evil motivations for fighting for their cause?

History has much to teach us regarding this. 

Slavery & Abolitionism 

Before the Civil War and the emancipation of the enslaved Americans, there were many anti-slavery factions. 

The radical abolitionists, for example, largely loved their Black neighbors and wanted to establish equal justice for all Image Bearers of God. This included the Garrisonians, Covenanters, and others. 

But at least some factions of self-proclaimed abolitionists did not love their Black neighbors. They, instead, had ulterior motives. Though they would speak on the evils of slavery, they were fueled by economic and other selfish desires. They did not want only to abolish slavery in their territories but also to abolish Black labor. Ultimately they wanted to protect White labor and saw slavery as unfair competition. 

It's worth noting that before the Civil War, the abolitionist movement was relatively small and widely derided by even Northern anti-slavery societies. After emancipation, however, the "abolitionist" label became extremely popular. 

Prior to emancipation, colonization societies and other moderates were far more popular. Far outnumbering abolitionist societies, colonization societies opposed slavery in the US but did so in a way dramatically different from the relatively small abolitionist movement. Colonization societies supported freeing enslaved Americans but then also forcibly shipping all formerly enslaved people back to Africa. The history of West Africa's Liberia is an example of this practice. Most often, the rationale for this position was based on the racist idea that formerly enslaved Black people could not live naturally and peacefully in society alongside White Americans. Though some colonization society members claimed that they had the former enslaved Blacks' best interests in mind, this was a fundamentally paternalist view that did not take into account the autonomy of the formerly enslaved people nor the reality that Africa was a foreign land to the vast majority of enslaved Black people. Realistically, considering the widespread attitudes of the day, "what's best for the Black people" was likely a cover for simply not wanting to share society with Black people. 

After emancipation, and especially once "abolitionist" became a popular term, many self-proclaimed abolitionists and anti-slavery White carpetbaggers supported Jim Crow laws in the South. In the progressive anti-slavery North, far too often, formerly enslaved people found their new Northern neighbors just as inhospitable if not more inhospitable as the South. In a grotesque twist, Jim Crow laws likely provided an outlet for racist behaviors, while the North found their outlets in less legal and often more violent ways. This observation isn't to say the South was less racist, not at all, but rather that even the areas that largely supported emancipation were far from loving to freed Black families. 

To put it plainly, for many who spoke out against slavery, their motivation was either wicked or very mixed. Their words and actions show that their support for the abolition/anti-slavery cause was never "love of neighbor." 

I, of course, do not want to slander the abolitionists and other anti-slavery Christians. Yes, many abolitionists and anti-slavery Christians were driven by their love of their Black neighbors and a desire for true justice. But that is just simply not true of a great many of them.

Despite even the evilest motivations of some who fought for this cause, abolishing legalized slavery in the United States was righteous and necessary. Now, well over a hundred years after emancipation, all but the most fringe of society understand the evil of Southern slavery. 

Yet, in that era, pro-slavery advocates severely slandered the entire abolitionist cause and opportunistically used some abolitionists' evil motivations and sins as their justification for slavery. For example, consider this vile rhetoric from the pro-slavery James Thornwell,

The parties in the conflict are not merely abolitionists and slaveholders. They are atheists, socialists, communists, red republicans, Jacobins on the one side, and friends of order and regulated freedom on the other. In one word, the world is the battleground – Christianity and Atheism the combatants; and the progress of humanity at stake.

And, of course, in cherry-picked and isolated incidents, Thornwell was correct. History is complicated, and often even the supposed heroes aren't all they're meant to be. Yet Thornwell was dead wrong about the entirety of the abolitionist movement and dead wrong about slavery. 

Abortion & Abolitionism

Today we fight a different fight. Abolitionists of abortion are busy seeking to establish justice for the preborn. Similar to the work of abolishing slavery, this is also a worthy and just cause. Much more prominent than the abolitionist movement is the prolife movement. There are many parallels between each era's abolitionist movement, the prolife movement, and the colonization societies. Much has already been said about these parallels here, here, and elsewhere. 

To be sure, one parallel is that many men and women fighting against abortion have genuine motivations. Essential Christian charity means that we should assume good rather than evil. Though we know corruption in both motivations and methods happens, we should not believe that of anyone without just cause. This is especially true of ordinary Christians not on political or pro-life organizational payrolls. Even if their methods and ideas may be "off," their motivations are often good. 

Much like before, it is not always easy to discern these motivations. However, we know we are prone to mixing sinful motivations with good. We know, theologically, that not all will be genuine and sincere. 

From my experience as an abolitionist activist and interacting with several major pro-life organizations, I'm familiar with how many of these groups use abortion as a "political football" for their fundraising schemes. The obvious scheme is when pro-life politicians talk up their pro-life "cred" on the campaign trail to then do little or nothing when they when the election. Whether they are simply dishonest in their methods and rhetoric, charge outlandishly high speaking fees, or how some (far too often) actively fight abolitionist measures, many of the major pro-life organizations and politicians have the same level of integrity and the same self-serving motivations as any other political special interest group. Politics are dirty, and the Pro-Life Movement is far from immune. 

Outside of the popular celebrity pro-lifers and their organizations, we also know that the power of tribalism is strong. How many are ardent pro-lifers simply because everyone else in their community is? How often are pro-lifers performative in their language and activities to garner support and admiration from their tribe? Do we think some anti-abortion voices may be overly severe or discompassionate because that gets clicks and hearts in their circles? Perhaps some are using the issue of life as a bludgeon to harm their political opponents? Do we consider the possibility that some are flaunting their pro-life credentials in public to make much of themself as opposed to making much of Christ? 

Brothers and sisters, though I know these suggestions sound rather bleak and harsh, I assure you that all of these motivations are real in many anti-abortion voices. Sometimes partially, sometimes subconsciously, and sometimes only on occasion. But it is difficult to understate these heart problems' prevalence even among righteous causes. And, to be clear, these motivations are far from absent among unjust causes. 

And yes, even a few are very open with their wicked motivations. Sometimes it's not a subtle or "under the surface" mixed motivation, but rather just the motivation to control those they think less than themself (see the below screenshot for reference). Further, many men who speak the loudest against abortion are also the loudest against Biblical justice regarding sexual abuse and racism. In another grotesque twist of history, far too many modern abortion abolitionists would have despised the abolitionists of slavery. 

Yet, the God-given right to life remains the central virtue that all other human rights are built upon. The Biblical doctrines of the incarnation of Christ and the Imago Dei require a profound and deep value for preborn life. 

Remember & Rejoice

As the topic of abortion continues to rage in our culture, and as you observe men who hate justice in a variety of categories advocate for life, remember the abolitionists. As attention-seeking edgelords call for the abolition of abortion, remember the abolitionists. When pro-life celebrities are raking in donation dollars, first-class tickets, and lavish hotel rooms, remember the abolitionists. When life is advocated for in a hateful and sinfully divisive manner, remember the abolitionists. 

And when pro-choice advocates point out evil motivations, amoral advocates of life, and unrighteous methods, remember that Thornwell was wrong to support slavery and slander all abolitionism. Even though abolitionists (and other anti-slavery voices) were far from perfect, their cause was just, and Thornwell's was not. Likewise, when the pro-choice activist points out the many specks in the eyes of abolitionists and pro-lifers, know that a plank is in their eye. Confess and humbly remove the specks and also faithfully point out the plank.

Remember, beloved Christians, we stand on the side of life not because it's popular, perfectly argued for, or because "that team" is always full of morally upright people. Instead, we stand for life because it's what God calls us to do. Further, we can faithfully be loyal critics of "our side" and help correct some of these wrongs. After all, reformation from within has often led to revival. I understand and empathize with the confusion, anxiety, and tension of seeing serious problems among those who hold a particular idea. 

Most importantly, recall that no Christian is a perfect representation of Christianity, and if we judged Jesus solely based on his followers, we'd be telling many lies about our Lord. The Apostle Paul addressed this specific issue in Philippians 1:15–18. 

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice,

When truth and justice are proclaimed, even when it's coming from the worst of men, know that Christ is being proclaimed. Rejoice. You do not need to endorse or justify these men, their motivations, or methods, but rejoice. Nor are you discouraged from calling those to repent, but rejoice. Rejoice and know that justice and truth are justice and truth regardless of the sin of man.

Know that Christ stands behind us no matter who ends up standing beside us.